Preservation over protection
by Corona 1
Summary: An old friend, a new challenge. Just another day in the office for Earth's protectors. But when the challenger focuses on preserving one of the team, things become a little more complicated. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there guys! I loved writing my last Dragon ball Z fic so much, that I've had inspiration for another. I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer: I only own my characters and plot. The TARDIS and anything Doctor Who related the BBC's property. I am simply a humble fanfiction writer borrowing aspects of it.

...Changes in place

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Changes in time

...,,,,,,... Changes in time and place

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Racing through the ruined cities of Teccol was not her idea of a good time. Especially not when a huge, bloodthirsty monster was hot on her heels. However, if she was honest, she preferred the creature followed her. At least then she knew where it was. How the Professor had ended up in this situation was anyone's guess, but the Time Lady had managed it, and had broken her own personal record. She had literally stepped out of the TARDIS when all of a sudden this giant lizard creature raced at her. Now, she simply hoped that it would tire of 'chase the Time Lady' and leave her alone. Of course, with her track record, she could say with a lot of confidence that it wasn't going to happen soon. And, with no actual civilisation taking hold on the planet for the past 200 years, there wasn't really anywhere to hide. Well, nowhere stable enough to hold up to any ramming from the creature that had seen her as its next meal. And she was beginning to feel the effects of all out running. If she didn't find somewhere to hide soon, she feared she'd become a Big Lizard treat. What was that? On the rise. She beamed, panting for breath. Her salvation. The TARDIS. She had come full circle! Picking up her last reserves of speed, she dashed for the simple stone hut, ramming herself into the door and shoving it open, falling into the comfortable golden interior of her ship, slamming the door shut before the lizard could reach her. Leaning her back against the door, she closed her eyes and slid down to the floor, finally allowing herself to feel the exhaustion that had been plaguing her. Sighing heavily, she pushed herself up and strolled towards the control panel, her fingers expertly flicking over the buttons and switches. She smiled as she typed co-ordinates into the navigation system. It had been far too long since she had been to see old friends. Almost a year and a half now. The engines thumped into life, whirring in pitch as they responded to her command. Allowing the ship to fly herself, the Professor went to her seldom used Meditation room, deciding that she needed to let her mind wander and relax.

...

The light of the far sun glinted off sleek metal as a large, ancient vessel rumbled through the quiet reaches of the Sol system, coming to halt on the outskirts of the orbit of Pluto. The engines ground to a halt, falling silent. Nothing moved on the colossal ship, except for the odd blink of lights through the portholes. The patch work of different metals coated the ship, some places sleek and new, others rough and old. Jets and propulsion rockets of different crafts littered the stern, amateur welding making the mess look more like it had been thrown together in a hurry. A retro vibrated, coming to life, slowly swinging the ship around, starboard facing into the centre of the solar system. On board the vessel, two figures surveyed the planets, they're images appearing in sequence upon the screen: Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars. Finally, the image rested upon Earth. One of the crew leaned in, inspecting the blue and green orb.

"Is that it?" He stood, turning to the much taller one next to him.

"That's it. That's the planet."

"Hmm. It doesn't look like much to me. What's so special about it?"

"I don't know. Neron has his eyes set on it."

"Why?"

"That, gentlemen, is for me to know. All I want you to know is that something has caught my intrigue." They turned as the dim lights brightened, the image disappearing. Neron was an impossibly skinny, tall man, aged by time and a long life of seeking only he knew what. His eyes glinted in the light, an almost mad shine to them. Striding past his companions, he stopped at the nearest porthole and looked out. The endless darkness they had been used to for so long was now illuminated by the glowing orb far in the centre, the cold only slightly more bearable. He smiled a little, rubbing bony hands together. Turning with an almost astonishing speed, he faced his comrades. His hands moved to his back and his posture straightened, making him seem much taller than he was.

"Tatzo, Crail, as you know, we are the last of the Preservatists, a group of different races with the same want: to preserve all that is rare and endangered in our universe." He turned to the window once again, continuing to address them. "Ever since our groups were disbanded by that damned Galactic Senate, I have carried on our esteemed work, finding anything on the brink of extinction and pulling them back. I have saved plant life, insects, invertebrates, and even peoples. I have grouped them all, placed them in environments that mirror their own, and watched as they thrived and lived on. But I grow weary; my age is beginning to catch up with me. I am becoming tired of constantly travelling. I want to settle down and enjoy preserving my collections. Maybe even try again my failed attempt to bring back those I have saved to full strength. Cloning has come such a long way since I first tried, until the Senate halted my proceeds. Damn them." He fell silent. Tatzo, the tall light blue skinned man looked to the shorter, orange Crail, shrugging. Clearing his throat, he looked warily to the man near the window.

"Um...what changed?"

"Changed? Nothing changed. Everything is still the same. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever should be. My desires remain. The only thing that has spurred on this new search is simply this; I came upon this solar system by chance. Simple, pure chance. But I was much further in. I saw that planet, this Earth, and I saw its remarkable beauty. And, I decided, it was time for just one last bit of exploration. A peaceful exploration. That is all. If we find any life that is nearing extinction, we can save it, thus preserving their futures." He fell silent once again. Turning to the two behind him, he smiled. "Tatzo, program the Collector. Get it to set itself somewhere on Earth, out of sight. And tell it to survey. I want to know what exists on the planet." The tall man nodded, exiting the room. Crail looked to the now thinking Neron.

"What about me?" He seemed to snap from his thoughts, swinging around.

"Do what you normally do. Keep the ship running." The short alien turned, grumbling under his breath about mad old men, stomping out of the meeting room. Neron watched a silvery ball shot from an area below him, hovering for a moment before zooming off and out of sight. By his calculations, Neron estimated it would arrive to its destination in three months time, giving him time to ponder over the curiosities that could face him. He turned from the porthole, reclining in a nearby chair, lost in thought. Whatever this planet would show, it was sure to be remarkable. He just knew it.

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Night on Earth was often peaceful far from the cities. Not tonight, however. A terrible storm had hit from the East, gale force winds and driving rain lashing the landscape and all around it. Deep throated rumbles of thunder and the bright flashes of lightning punctuated the almost black sky. The grasslands at the foot of the mountains were soon waterlogged, and the lakes and streams nearby swelled. High up on Mount Paozu, the small house wasn't immune from the storm's rage. A close rumble of thunder vibrated the walls, and the rain hammered on the windows. In fact, the windows looked more like waterfalls to the residents inside. Gohan sat at the window, watching the dancing of the lightning in the sky, listening as his mother calmed his two year old brother. Goten was growing fast, which was to be expected, and already had his father's unruly hair. He smiled. Sometimes he wondered if Bulma had secretly cloned Goku, the likenesses between father and son were outstanding. His sensitive hearing heard his father's breathing from the other room. He hadn't been disturbed by the storm, or by Goten's waking. It would appear to an outsider that he was a heavy sleeper, but Gohan knew better than that. He knew that his father's keen senses were constantly on his family, even if he himself didn't know it. Sighing, Gohan moved from the window and back to his bed, the worst of the storm over. He stopped a moment, looking back to the drenched landscape; almost sure he caught sight of something falling to the ground from the black skies above. He reached out with his own senses, but was unable to find anything. Shaking his head, he climbed back into the confines of his covers and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.

The fact was, however, Gohan had seen something fall to the Earth, its landing askew due to the violent weather. Crashing in a far off forest, the small ship came to a halt, lying motionless upon the soaking ground. As no one was around, no one saw the slim tendrils that silently grew from the orb, digging their way into the ground, slowly pulling the ship down with them, leaving upturned soil in its wake.

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Well, that's the first chapter. Let me know what you think. Constructive Criticism is always welcome. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Only my characters are...erm... mine. Everything else is owned by their respective creators, etc.

. . . . . . . . . . Change in place

, , , , , , , , , , Change in time

. . . , , , , . . . Change in both

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The Professor stretched as the engines came to a halt. Opening the door to the hidden room, she smiled fondly as she brushed past the control panel. She went to the door, lifting her long purple coat from the arch and pulling it on as she went. Pulling it open, the Time Lady threw her arms over her face as a strong wind surged through, whipping her coat around her ankles. Slamming the door shut again, she sighed.

"I'm not going out there tonight. Not in that weather." Pulling the coat off again, she flung it onto a coat rack at the far side, deciding to busy herself with the controls. It never hurt to make sure that everything was up to scratch. Pulling a stubborn strand of hair behind her ear, she studied the read outs carefully. It was definitely Earth, and it was certainly summer. Well, storms weren't that uncommon, not in warm climates such as this. It had just taken her by surprise. Flicking the monitor off again, she reclined in the chair, sighing. Her eyes slowly closed as she allowed her mind to wander. They snapped open again when something began beeping on the panel. Sitting up, she watched a light blink a few times. Frowning, the Professor stood once again, moving towards the light.

"What's wrong? What's got you in such a tizzy?" Tapping her fingers on the surface, her frown deepened as symbols sprawled across the monitor, symbols only she could read. "Hmmm. Something here, is it? I'll take a look when the weather calms down a little. I'm not going out into that for something that doesn't appear to be too threatening." Switching off the electronics, leaving only the essentials running, she sprawled across the chair again, closing her eyes and allowing her mind to once again wander, this time with no distractions.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The orb had settled itself under the ground, out of sight. Tatzo sat back in the chair, resting his head on a hand and watched the readings flash across the screen. The Collector's scans were nearly complete, and he was already bored of the planet. There were endangered life forms on Earth, but there were still too many to be of very much interest to them. The orb's weather scans had shown that there was a violent storm at the point of entry, damage report relaying a few minor problems, but nothing that the in-built trouble shooter couldn't sort out. Tatzo started as someone leaned over him, also looking at the screen.

"Anything?"

"Nothing of interest yet, Neron. The orb's scans have shown creatures of all different types, some more endangered than others, but they're a still in their hundreds. Well, so it would appear." The older man nodded, not taking his eyes from the monitor.

"Anything else?"

"It seems the weather system can change at the drop of a hat, same as any other planet of its kind. And it is densely populated in some places." Neron hummed, still watching the screen. He frowned a little as the information changed suddenly.

"What's this?" Tatzo looked as well. Something had been picked up in the Collector's powerful scans. Something new. Something that didn't belong to that world.

"I...I don't know. It just appeared out of nowhere."

"See if you can get a visual." Tatzo nodded, typing commands into the panel and waited for a response. It took a few minutes, given the distance it had to travel, but finally, the orb received its orders. It took several more minutes for anything to be sent back. The screen flickered, readings and symbols changing into images. It seemed like nothing more than a small cabin in the middle of a clearing, but there something different about it. Something foreign, alien.

"Zoom in."

"That's as far as we can go. The Collector wasn't designed to send back detailed images. And in that weather, it wouldn't do its circuits and systems very well to get closer to the...whatever-it-is. We'll have to wait for the storm to settle before we get any closer." Neron stood up straight, nodded curtly and turned and left. Tatzo sighed and once again reclined. There was something about that man that simply didn't sit right with him. Something unsettling, though what it was, he wasn't quite sure. Perhaps it was just his knack for appearing right when Tatzo least expected it. Shrugging, the Baldavian relaxed into chair, deciding to let his eyes close for a while.

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Morning came faster than the Professor realised. Standing from the chair and stretching, she flicked on the monitor, looking over whatever the TT Capsule's sensors had picked up. Frowning slightly, she ran a print out, pocketing the sheet when it had finished. Deciding to leave her coat where it was for now, the Time Lady opened the door, slightly taken aback by the bright sunlight pouring through the opening, a stark contrast to the night before. Closing her eyes and breathing the slightly heady scent of wet grass and summertime flowers, she very nearly forgot about what she was meaning to do. Stepping out onto the sodden earth, she turned and locked the door, stepping back to admire the ship's disguise.

"Small cabin. Or a large shed. Either way, quite clever." Pocketing the key, she turned and walked further into the clearing, stopping a moment when she walked past a very familiar spot. A splintered trunk, now almost concealed in the grass, and a little further away was the rest of the tree, rotten and dead, yet covered with life; insects making their homes within the bark, and fungi using its nutrients to grow. She shivered slightly at the memory. How close she had come to death that day at the hands of Dagon. She absently rested her hand over her trouser pocket, where she kept her most prized possession. If it wasn't for her sonic probe, she was quite sure that she wouldn't be standing where she was now. Golden brown eyes twinkled in the sunlight as she raised her head to the sky, almost expecting to see something. Breathing in the forest smell, she continued a long her path, coming to a stop some way from the clearing. She frowned and stooped, gently touching the bent and broken grass. Lifting her fingers to her mouth, she tasted the residue, gritting her teeth at the unmistakably metallic flavour. It was fresh from last night. It was strange how the rain hadn't washed it away. carrying on, she followed the short trail of bent grass, coming to a small mound of upturned earth. Now it was getting interesting.

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Gohan stretched as he finished dressing, looking out of the window. How different it looked from last night, now that the rolling clouds and thunder had passed on. The sun was bright, and the air was fresh. Opening the window a little, he leaned out, breathing in the scent of summer and allowing his senses to wander. His eyes snapped open when something caught his attention. Reaching out, he was sure he could feel another's ki, so different to any from Earth, so alien, and yet so familiar.

"No. It couldn't be." How many times had he imagined her ki passing over his mind? Too many to count. Shaking his head, he out the sensation down to his imagination, walking out of the room and down to breakfast. Strange that the feeling wasn't subsiding. His curious expression didn't go unnoticed.

"Morning Gohan. Is everything ok?" He snapped from his thoughts as he looked to his mother, who waited patiently for a reply.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just...I can't shake this feeling that...No, it doesn't matter, it's just my imagination." Chi Chi frowned a little, placing her hands on her son's shoulders.

"Gohan sweetie, what are you talking about?" The teenager looked into his mother's concerned eyes and sighed.

"I thought I could sense the Professor's Ki this morning. And the strange thing is, I still can. But every time I thought I'd sensed it before, it turned out it was nothing more than wishful thinking." Chi Chi smiled, patting her oldest on the shoulder and leading him through to the dining room. His father was already there, of course, and was already ploughing his way through breakfast, stopping only to greet his son. Goten was trying his hardest to copy his father, but failed to keep up. Gohan smiled, sitting down to join his family, his confusion earlier forgotten, at least for a few minutes. The feeling was still there. Frowning a little as he played with his food, he caught his father's questioning glance and looked up.

"Gohan, what's the matter son?" Was he really making it that obvious?

"It's nothing, dad." A cock of the eyebrow was the only answer. Gohan sighed and smiled a little. There really was no lying to his father. Especially not when he used that face.

"Alright. I thought I could sense the Professor this morning. But it can't be. I haven't heard from her in almost a year now." Goku's expression changed to one of curiosity.

"The Professor? That's funny. I thought I could sense her, too..." Gohan's eyes widened as his head shot up. If his father thought he could sense her, why hadn't he gone to find out if it was true? Why hadn't he told him? Goku seemed to read his son's mind and smiled.

"I thought I was imagining it too." The teenager smiled, joy shining in his ebony eyes.

"Mom? May I leave the table?" Chi Chi looked to her now very excited son and smiled. How could she deny him? She nodded, never getting the chance to say anything as he vanished. Goten clapped his hands next to her, giggling. Goku grinned, following his son's ki in his mind.

"I think the Professor is going to have a visitor."

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And there's chapter 2. Hope you all enjoy it!


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